(1)

The United Kingdom has received on 18 August 2006 an application from Baker Petrolite, in accordance with Article 11(1) of Directive 98/8/EC, for the inclusion of the active substance acrolein in its Annex I for use in product-type 12, slimicides, as defined in Annex V to Directive 98/8/EC. Acrolein was not on the market on the date referred to in Article 34(1) of Directive 98/8/EC as an active substance of a biocidal product.

(2)

After carrying out an evaluation, the United Kingdom submitted its report, together with a recommendation, to the Commission on 16 March 2009.

(3)

The report was reviewed by the Member States and the Commission within the Standing Committee on Biocidal Products on 17 September 2009, and the findings of the review were incorporated in an assessment report.

(4)

It appears from the examinations made that biocidal products used as slimicides and containing acrolein may be expected to satisfy the requirements laid down in Article 5 of Directive 98/8/EC. It is therefore appropriate to include acrolein in Annex I.

(5)

Not all potential uses have been evaluated at the Union level. It is therefore appropriate that Member States assess those uses or exposure scenarios and those risks to compartments and populations that have not been representatively addressed in the Union level risk assessment and, when granting product authorisations, ensure that appropriate measures are taken or specific conditions imposed in order to reduce the identified risks to acceptable levels.

(6)

In the light of the findings of the assessment report, it is appropriate to require that risk mitigation measures are applied at product authorisation level to products containing acrolein used as slimicides.

(7)

In particular, it is appropriate to require that products intended for industrial or professional use be used with appropriate personal protective equipment and that safe operational procedures are established such as the use of air monitoring and exclusion zones, unless it can be demonstrated that risks for industrial or professional users can be reduced by other means.

(8)

Appropriate measures should be taken to limit the risks to the marine environment, since unacceptable risks to this compartment have been identified during the evaluation. To this end, certain conditions should be imposed by the competent authorities when authorising the biocidal product, such as ensuring that waste water is monitored and, if necessary, treated before discharge, unless it can be demonstrated that risks for the environment can be reduced by other means.

(9)

A reasonable period should be allowed to elapse before an active substance is included in Annex I in order to permit Member States to bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive.

(10)

Directive 98/8/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(11)

The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Biocidal Products,